Taxing time as licence-payers pick up BBC bill

WHaT an utter mess the BBC has got itself into over the wages of its leading television and radio presenters.

Following the humiliating climbdown over former China editor Carrie Gracie, who was given a hefty payout after complaining she’d been a victim of gender pay discrimination, Corporation chiefs are now having to tackle another expensive self-made problem.

This is compensation due to individuals who say there were ‘bullied’ into setting up so-called ‘personal service companies’ to gain work at the BBC.

This ruse meant that the public service broadcaster could then treat them as freelancers for tax purposes — which reduces contributions to National Insurance.

So licence-payers are expected to pick up the bill to pay scores of presenters who set up these companies, then found they were being investigated by the taxman for possible tax avoidance.

among those involved are Kirsty Lang from radio 4’s Front row, who said she felt ‘betrayed’ and ‘hung out to dry’ by the BBC, and, irony of ironies, Paul Lewis, who gives listeners financial advice on his programme money Box.

I’ve seen a memo from Bob Shennan, director of radio and music, saying the BBC will pay tens of thousands to help presenters with accountancy fees.

‘We know that the changes . . . have caused difficulties in how many of you are taxed and paid and you’ve told us that these issues have led to additional book-keeping fees,’ he says.

‘In recognition of this, we’d like to offer an ex-gratia contribution towards these additional fees for anyone earning less than £45k from the BBC during 2017/18.’

The next time you hear a headline on the BBC about incompetent politicians or ‘hardhearted Tories’, just think about the Corporation’s own terrible track record.